Hot top conditioning equipment



Dec. 28, 1954 B. F. ANTHONY HOT TOP coum'rroumc EQUIPMENT Filed May 8. 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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Dec. 28, 1954 B. F. ANTHONY HOT TOP CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT Filed May a 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmvron BENJWM/fi KIA/mam! inflame 5 Dec. 28, 1954 B. F. ANTHONY HOT TOP couomoumc EQUIPMENT 5 Sheets$heet 4 Filed llay 8. 1951 v 7 v mmvrox flew/4M1 FA/vrmvy BY m Dec. 28, 1954 B. F. ANTHONY HOT TOP CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT 5 Shee}s-Sheet 5 Filed May 8, 1951 United States Patent HOT TOP CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT Benjamin F. Anthony, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, nsslgnor' Application May 8, 1951, Serial No. 225,171

17 Claims. (Cl. 22-192) This invention relates to improvements in-hot top conditioning equipment. Heretofore composite hot tops, which embody heavy iron castings, have been conditioned while supported in individual stands or horses, each such stand consisting of a metal framework which has semicylindrical bearings open at the top to receive the side trunnions of the hot top casings. In order to accommodate the number of hot tops which it is necessary to keep in stock ready to be used and in process of being cleaned, reconditioned, and dried, a large number of such stands must be provided and they must be spaced apart sufiiciently to enable the workmen to move around them conveniently. Accordingly the conventional hot top platform in a steel plant occupies a considerable area. Furthermore the bottom rings, patching material, slurry, metallic wiper strips, wire clips and wooden top supports, all of which are necessary for the conditioning of each top, must be taken from some suitable storage and carried or wheeled to each stand in order that the work may be performed. The hot tops themselves which in the average size weigh half a ton or more, are transported to the stands and taken from them by travelling crane which must be of a character to be efiective over the entire area.

The present invention provides what might be termed assembly line equipment upon which the hot top travels while the various procedures or method steps are carried out to invert the hot tops, clean them, apply the bottom rings, wiper strips and wire clips, patch any holes in the linings, apply patching material to the joints between lining blocks and between the latter and the bottom ring, apply slurry to the surfaces of the linings, transport them through a drying zone and turn them over again so as to be presented right side up for the crane to remove them and place them in waiting ingot molds.

The .present invention may include a station at which a refractory moldable material is applied as a veneer to the inner surfaces of the refractory blocks constituting the lining of the hot top for a purpose described in application Serial Number 203,666, filed December 30, 1950, by Walter M. Charman and myself. It also may include special equipment at such vencering station for simplifying and facilitating the application of the moldable materia One of the objects of the invention therefore is the provision of a method and means of carrying out the foregoing procedures quickly and economically.

Another object is the provision of equipment of the character stated occupying less space than the conventional equipment employed for conditioning composite hot tops, and requiring less labor. 1

Another object is the provision of automatic means for inverting hot tops as they are placed on the conveyor and moved along the first portion thereof, and righting them again at the end of the final conveyor section.

Still another object is the provision of a vencering station which enables the operator to tilt the hot top to a convenient angle for the application of moldable veneering material to an interior surface of a hot top, for turning the hot top so as to present one side after another to the operator and for rolling the hot top off the turntable onto a second section of the conveyor.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which,.for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which ICC Fig. is a side elevational view of the major portion of the equipment shown somewhat schematically.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental vertical sectional view on a larger scale, the section being taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view on a still larger scale looking at the vencering station and adjacent portion of the conveyor from the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

F g.5 s a view like Fig. 4 but with the turntable tilted.

Fig 6 is an end view of the vencering station looking in the direction of arrow 6, Fig. 2, with the turntable in horizontal position.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6, but on a larger scale.

Fig. 8 is a central vertical sectional view of a composite hot top of the type to be treated in the present equipment and in an inverted position such as it would occupy while travelling along the conveyor.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the final section of the conveyor together with means for turning over the hot tops one at a time to their right side up position, and

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same.

The apparatus illustrated herein which discloses the embodiment of theinvention that is presently preferred, comprises a station A which receives the hot top right side up, an inverting station B, a conveyor C along which the hot tops travel while they are being cleaned and while bottom rings and wiper strips are being put in place and attached to the casing by wire clips, a station D at which repairs to the lining are made and the interior surfaces slurried or at which a veneer of moldable material is applied, a section B of the conveyor which section comprises drying means, and means at the final end of the equipment for turning over the inverted hot tops one at a time to put them in right side up condition. Hot tops in different positions along theequipment are indicated by broken lines, Fig. l, but it will be understood that on the conveyor sections C and E they 'will ordinarily be close together so that workmen on one or both sides of the conveyor may perform various tasks or operations on each hot top as it passes.

Station A comprises a strong framework in which are mounted at a comparatively high elevation a series of rollers 10 journaled in the end flanges of transverse metal plates 11, each of which may carry two rollers. These plates 11 are supported on coil springs 12, see Fig. 3, so that the rollers may yield to some extent when a hot top is deposited thereupon by the usual crane employed for handling hot tops. On each hot top casing there are a pair of trunnions 13 which are round in cross-section. There are also two lifting lugs 21 which are adapted to be grasped by hooks on a crane. In order that the hot top may be guided into position midway between the ends of rollers 10 the receiving station A is provided with inclined side walls 14 and a similarly inclined end wall 15. By means of these inclined walls the hot top is funneled down into position on the rollers, whereby the crane man need not be very precise in the operation of lowering the hot top onto the receiving table.

The inverting station B also comprises a strong framework having a pair of inclined rails 16. The higher ends of these rails are disposed at an elevation just a trifle lower than the trunnions 13 when the hot top is on the rollers 10. Consequently when an operator pushes a hot top forward from the receiving table the trunnions 13 engage the rails 16 and slide or roll forward upon them.,

At the higher ends of the rails there is nothing between them, so that the lower section of the hot top casing hangs down into this space when it leaves the rollers 10, see Fig. 3. A transverse trip bar 18, round in crosssection, is guided for vertical movement between pairs of posts 19 at each side of the frame, the bar being supported on slides 17 movable up and down in the guides and resiliently supported by springs 20. When a hot top travelling down the inclined rails strikes the trip bar 18 it is tilted about its trunnions to the position V, Fig. 3, and as the trunnions approach a position directly above the bar the latter is depressed by the weight of the hot top and energy is thus stored up in the springs 20. As soon as the trunnions proceed beyond the vertical plane through bar 18 the compressed springs impart an upward thrust which assists the rolling of the trunnions on the tracks to turn the hot top over. In case this action is not sufficient to invert the hot top completely one of the lifting lugs 21 on the casing will strike against an inclined surface 22 at the rear end of a friction plate 23 disposed between divided rollers 24 on a roller unit C forming part of the conveyor and extending back beneath the rails 16. This position of the hot top is indicated at W in Fig. 3. The trunmons 13 are now forward of the surface 22, so that the hot top in moving further forward on the rails tends to assume the fully inverted position. However if it is moving fast enough it may be overthrown somewhat to the position indicated at X, where the other lifting lug 21 engages the friction plate 23.

The rollers 24 now begin to take the load of the hot top as the trunnions 13 leave the rails 16. The short rollers 24 are journaled in plates 26 which are mounted on coil springs 27 similar to the mounting of rollers 10. These rollers therefore tend to take some of the shock of the hot tops in case they travel rapidly down the inclined rails 16 and strike the roller unit C forcibl l kt the forward end of the fixed friction plate 23 there is a section 29 hinged at its rear end, which may be thrown to the position of Fig. 3 where its forward end extends well above the level of rollers 24 and positively stop the forward travel of the hot top. Control of this hinged section is effected by a cam 30 mounted on a shaft 31 which .is journaled in the conveyor frame and is provided at one end with a hand lever 32, Figs. 2 and 3, by means of which it may be thrown either to operative or inoperative position. After a hot top has thus been brought to a stop in the position indicated at Y in Fig. 3 the operator may lower cam 30, thereby permitting the hot top to travel forward on the rollers 24 and onto rollers 34 of the conveyor C.

The conveyor C may be of considerably greater length than the illustration indicates, for the reason that considerable work must be performed upon each hot top before it is delivered to the veneering station D. A number of workmen are stationed along the conveyor and each performs his special task. Materials used in the conditioning procedure are conveniently located along paths parallel to the conveyor on one or both sides thereof with sufficient space between the same and the conveyor for the workmen to function efficiently. The conveyor C may be level but preferably it has a slight inclination downward toward the station D.

While the hot tops are on the conveyor C the following operations may be performed: (1) Any loose veneering on the interior surfaces of the lining blocks may be removed; (2) any holes in the lining blocks may be filled with patching material; (3) grout may be placed over the upper end of the inverted top and a bottom ring placed in position over it; (4) sheet metal wiper strips may be inserted in place between the casing and bottom ring; wire clips may be snapped into place to hold the bottom ring onto the casing; (6) wood blocks may be clipped to the casings for temporarily supporting them in the molds during the pouring of steel; (7) slurry may be brushed or sprayed onto the inner surfaces of the linings. In accordance with my invention these operations may be carried out with more efliciency than has been possible heretofore by the methods and equipment previously in use.

When any or all of the above operations have been completed and a hot top is at the lower end of conveyor C, two stops 35 and 36 which are interconnected for simultaneous operation are actuated in such a way that stop 35 is lowered and stop 36 raised, as indicated in Fig. 4. The foremost hot top is thereby permitted to travel forward to the position Z of Fig. 4. Then assuming that the tilt-turntable is empty, the stops are again actuated simultaneously and in reverse directions so that the hot top shown at Z is permitted to travel forward onto the tilt-turntable, while the hot top next in order is held from advancing by the stop 35. These stops are operated by links- 37 and 38, the lower ends of which are pivotally connected with cranks 39 and 40 that are ginned at different angles to an oscillatable shaft 41.

haft.4l runs forward beyond the forward end of station D where it is provided with a transverse 42 4 having two pedals 43 and 44 by which the shaft may be turned from one operative position to the other whenever the workman at station D is, ready for another hot to The veneering station D comprises a tilt-turntable unit which is of novel construction. It comprises a base in which there are four supporting wheels 45 that are mounted to turn freely on their axles. These wheels have V-shaped grooves in their periphery. V-shaped angles 46 rest upon these grooved wheels. The angles are carried upon the lower side of platform 47 which is thus movable transversely for a short distance. In order to assist in its actuation I provide a lever 48 hinged at 49 to the base and provided with a slot 50 through which extends a stud 51 that is anchored in the platform 47. The upper end of this lever is provided with a socket 52 into which the operator may insert a handle 53, Fig. 4, and by which good leverage may be obtained for shifting the platform transversely in one direction or the other.

Above the platform 47 there is a rocker assembly comprising two rockers 55 and an interconnecting framework 55'. The rockers 55 at each side of the unit are supported upon wheels 56 and 57. Wheels 56 are mounted to turn freely in brackets 58, while wheels 57 are journaled in the platform itself and project upwardly therefrom. The wheels 56 and 57 have outside flanges which engage the outer sides of the rockers 55 and hold the assembly against lateral movement. The framework 55' of the rocker assembly comprises two depending stops 59 and 60. Slots are provided in the floor of platform I 47 through which the stops 59 and 60 may extend, and

beneath the surface of the platform there is a block 61 against which one or the other of the stops engages to limit the tilting movement to the angle illustrated in Fig. 5 and to stop movement in the opposite direction gl'ten4 the horizontal position is attained as shown in When the rocker assembly is to be shifted from the Fig. 4 position to the Fig. position the operator takes the handle 53 and inserts it into a socket 63 which is secured to one of the rockers 55. By pulling down on the outer end of the handle the rocker assembly is easily tilted. A latch 64 pivoted to the platform 47 at 65 and having a cam surface 66, automatically swings back and then returns so that its hook 67 engages over socket member 63 and holds it down. When the rocker assembly is to be returned to horizontal position the latch 64 may be kicked out of the way and the handle raised to return the rocker assembly to horizontal posi- A turntable 69 is mounted centrally on the rocker assembly. To this end I mount in the framework 55' of the assembly a pivot 70, see Fig. 7, which may be locked in position by a stud 71 extending through a hole in the framework and threaded into the pivot. The pivot is received into a hole 72 in a block 72 bolted to the underside of the table 69 at the center thereof. Since the table with a hot top supported thereon has considerable weight I provide for additional support three or more rollers or wheels 73 whose axles are radially mounted in the framework 55'.

The table 69 may be held in any one of four different angular positions spaced apart by means of a plunger 74 which is adapted to take into holes 75 in the table. The plunger may be withdrawn from a hole 75 by means of a lever 76 pivoted at 77 to a rocker 55 and to the plunger at 78. When the plunger is withdrawn a spring 79 is compressed. The plunger rides on the bottom surface of the table when the latter is rotated, and it snaps into the next hole 75 when the rotation through 90 is completed. Spring 79 also bears against the upper end of a second plunger 80 which runs upon the surface of platform 47. Four sockets 81 are mounted at equally spaced intervals on the table 69, each of which sockets is adapted to receive the operators handle 53 whenever he is desirous of rotating the table.

On opposite sides of the table there are frame members 83 in which are mounted interchangeable pairs of roller assemblies comprising side walls 84 and bearing supports for rollers 85, the parts being so constructed that when the table is in horizontal position rollers 85 will be at approximately the same height as the rollers 34 of conveyor C. The side walls include abutments 36 which are so spaced that a hot top of a given size may to receive the trunnions be received between them. In case it is desired to employ the equipment for hot tops of different sizes roller assemblies with abutments 86 diffe ently spaced may be employed. The side walls 84 include projections 87 shaped 13 of a hot top. At each side there is a latch 88 of inverted U-shape, one leg of which is rotatably and slidably supported in a cylindrical socket 89 carried by the side wall. The other leg 90 may be dropped into a socket in the abutment 86 behind the trunnion. This latch has a handle 91. It may be lifted by the handle until the leg 90 disengages its socket and then it may be swung around out of the way to release the trunnion. The hot top may then be rolled off the table when the latter is turned 90 from the position of Fig. 4. Thereafter the table may be turned back to the Fig. 4 position, another hot top received upon it and the latches 88 again placed in trunnion locking position.

Disposed behind the station D, there is a tower 92 which straddles the conveyor C and at its upper end supports a hopper or flat bottomed trough 93 which holds a supply of plastic refractory material of a moisture content suitable for troweling. This receptacle overhangs to some extent a hot top supported on the tilt-turntable and is conveniently disposed for the use of the operator who applies the veneering material to the interior walls of the hot top. A scraper blade 94 with a'forwardly extending handle 95 enables the operator to pull the material to the forward end of the receptacle as the supply at the end is used up.

A second conveyor disposed at right angles to conveyor C is preferably positioned opposite the veneering station D. A fragment of such a conveyor is shown at E in Fig. 6. Its rollers 97 are at substantially the same height as the rollers 85. When a hot .top is to be transferred to conveyor E at the table 69 is turned at right angles to its position of Fig. 6, with the projections 87 to the left of the trunnions. Then to bring the table 69 closer to the conveyor E the platform 47 is shifted to the right a short distance, when the hot top can be easily pushed off the table onto the conveyor. 98 is a latch pivoted on the platform 47 adapted to engage a projection on the back of a frame post 99 of conveyor E so as to lock the platform in the shifted position until the transfer has been made.

In Fig. 8 l have shown an inverted hot top of the type which the present equipment is designed to handle. It comprises a cast iron or steel casing in two parts 100 and 101 fastened together by suitable means. Fitted within the casing there are two or more courses ,of insulating bricks or blocks 102 and 103 and a molded rcfractory bottom ring 104. The plastic refractory veneering material on the inner surfaces of the lining blocks 102, 103 is illustrated at 105. This veneering material may be of the order of one-half inch in thickness. It protects the insulating bricks 102, 103 from thermal as well as from physical shock. For a more detailed description of a hot top embodying such a veneer reference may be had to the copending application Serial Number 203.666 previously mentioned.

Respecting the operation of the tilt-turntable at the veneering station, when the hot top is received thereupon the table is horizontal and disposed as in Fig. 4. The hot top is rolled forward until the trunnions 13 engage the projections 87, after which the latches 88 are lifted and swung from their inoperative position of Fig. 1 to the operative position of Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The operator then tilts the rocker assembly forward to the position of Fig. 5. In doing so he permits the plunger 80 to descend under the influence of gravity, thereby relieving spring 79 of its compression and permitting plunger 74 to descend by gravity c-ut of-engagement with the hole 75. Gravity maintains the inclined table and hot top against unintentional movement out of any one of its four rotational positions. The operator now proceeds to take veneering material from the receptacle 93 and to apply it with a trowel to the inclined surface which is nearest to him as he stands in front of the tilt-turn unit. When that wall 7 is covered he places his handle 53 in the socket 81 which is at the left as viewed in Fig. 6, and swings the inclined table and hot top to a position for veneering the next side. He then applies veneering material to the lower inclined and forwardly projecting interior wall in that position of the hot top and proceeds in like manner with the two remaining interior walls, always turning the tilted table counterclockwise. When the last wall is in position for the application of the veneer the projections 87 will be to the left of the trunnions as viewed in Fig. 6. With all four of the wall surfaces veneered he places his handle 53 in the socket 63;kicks the latch 64 to one side and lifts the rocker assembly bearing the table to horiaontal position where it remains with the stop 59 engag mg the block 61. Next he places his handle 53 in the socket at the top of lever 48 and shifts platform 47 to" is to maintain the heaters in continuous operation and to move each hot top step by step along the conveyor.

As illustrated herein each heater station comprises a sheet metal enclosure 107 of rectangular shape with a bottom plate 108, these two parts forming a box-like oven unit with an open top. Plates 108 prevent the drafts which are generally present from influencing the flame and the desired distribution of heat to the four walls of the hot top. The joints between the oven walls 107 and the bottom plates 108 may have more or less clearance in order to admit air to support combustion. These oven units are disposed midway between the sides of the conveyor at approximately the same level as the rollers 97 thereof. The conveyor comprises stub rollers 109 interposed between the boxllike unit and the sides of the conveyor to take the load of the hot tops while resting above or travelling over the heating stations. A gas pipe 110 may be mounted upon the conveyor at one side thereof, and from it extend feeder connections 111 to gas burners 112 disposed above the bottom plates 108 and within the oven walls 107. The horizontal dimensions of the oven .walls are preferably somewhat greater than the internal dimensions: of the hot top, so that the passage through the hot top will always register with the oven even though successive hot tops may stop at somewhat different positions.

As each hot top comes into position above the first heater a workman places a stiff slab 114 of sheet metal asbestos or other refractory material over the bottom ring 104 so as to confine the heat as much as possible. After each hot top passes the last heater of the series its cover slab 114 is removed. Any suitable stop means may be provided to hold the different hot tops temporarily over the heaters. As illustrated herein there are a pair of hinged stops 115 for each station which may be thrown up into operative position as shown at the first two stations in Fig. 9 or into inoperative position as shown at the last station thereof. These stops may be biased to operative position by.springs (not shown) and they may be interconnected for simultaneous operation if desired.

As a variant to the method of drying procedure. the conveyor E may be made long enough to accommodate a series of heaters equal in number to the number of molds in a drag. in that event the burners in the different heaters will not be turned on until a hot top is positioned above each of the heaters. They may then be turned on as nearly simultaneously as possible and the drying oper ation continued until completed, when all of the burners are turned off. Furthermore, if desired, one set of stops only may be employed to hold a hot top at the foremost heater station, and each of the other hot tops permitted to position itself by running down the conveyor until it stops against the preceding hot top.

Means are provided at the end of the drying line for returning the inverted hot tops to right side up position. The means herein shown comprises a pair of inclined rails 116 as the lower end of which there are fixed bumpers 117. When the last movable stop 115 is thrown to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 9 the hot top travels forward on the rollers 97. Before it drops off the foremost roller its trunnions move into position slightly above the rails 116. The trunnions then drop to the rails and the momentum of the hot top from its speed on the conveyor plus the drop onto the rails carries it down against the bumpers 117 where it stops. During this time the top has been rotating because of the rolling action of the trunnions on the rails, and when it strikes the bumpers 117 it may come to rest 7 at the ro rly righted osition or at some inclined position. If tiie latter, it E: righted by the o erator working at that station, when it is ready for e crane man to swing his hot top bail under the lifting lugs 21 and transport it to a mold drag for setting.

Having thus described my nvention, I cla m:

1. The method of conditioning composite hot tops, which comprises depositing inverted hot tops one after another on a roller conveyor, cleaning the upper end and inner surfaces of each inverted top, mountmg a bottom ring and wiper strips thereon, applying moist patching material for the filling of holes in the lining and protecting the surfaces of the same, moving the hot tops progressively along the conveyor as said operations are performed, causing the hot tops to travel over a second conveyor section, causing heated gases to flow upwardly at a plurality of points along said second conveyor section, holding tops in position at said points for drying said moist material, releasing the tops to move forward step by step along said second conveyor section, and removing the tops one after another from the delivery end of said second conveyor section.

2. The method of conditioning a hot top according to claim 1, comprising the additional step performed before the hot top reaches said second conveyor section of applying a moldable refractory veneer to the interior surfaces of the hot top.

3. The method of conditioning a hot top of the type which has a metal casing and side trunnions, comprising depositing 'the hot top on a receiving table, moving the hot top forward of? of said table and causing the trunnions to drop onto and roll down spaced inclined rails to invert it, depositing it from said rails onto a roller conveyor, cleaning the hot top, mounting a bottom ring and wiper strips thereon, applying moist patching material for the filling of holes in the lining and protecting the surface of the same, causing the hot tops to travel further over a conveyor section in which is mounted means for creating the flow of heated gaseous material upwardly through the inverted hot top to dry said moist material, and at the forward end of the conveyor again turning over the hot tops one after another to return them to right side up position.

4. The method of conditioning a hot top of the type which has a metal casing and side trunnions, comprising depositing the hot top on a receiving table, moving the hot top forward off of said table and causing the trunnions to drop onto and roll down spaced inclined rails to invert it, depositing it from said rails onto a roller conveyor, cleaning the hot top, mounting a bottom ring and wiper strips thereon, applying moist plastic refractory material to the hot top lining for filling holes in the lining and for filling the joints between lining elements and between lining elements and bottom ring, applying a moist moldable refractory veneer to each of the interior wall surfaces of the lining while the forward motion of the hot top is interrupted, continuing the forward travel of the hot top over a conveyor section in which is mounted means for creating the flow of heated gases upwardly through the inverted hot tops to dry said moist patching material and veneering material, and at the final end of the conveyor again turning over the hot tops to return them to right side up position.

5. In apparatus for conditioning hot tops having metal casings and side trunnions, a receiving station comprising a roller table adapted to receive the hot top right side up, a pair of spaced inclined rails extending forward from said table in a direction at right angles to the axes of the rollers on said table, the upper ends of said rails being disposed ad acent said roller table at a height to receive and support said trunnions as the bottom of the hot top disengages said roller table, abutment means below said rails for engaging the hot top as said trunnions move forward and downward on said rails, whereby the hot top is tilted and inverted, and a conveyor onto which the lower ends of the inverted hot tops are deposited by said tracks and along which they may be moved.

6. In apparatus for conditioning hot tops hav ng metal casings and side trunnions, a receiving station comprising a roller table adapted to receive the hot top right side up, a pair of spaced inclined rails extending forward from said table in a direction at right angles to the axes of the rollers on said table, the upper ends of said rails being disposed ad acent said roller table at a height to receive and support said trunnions as the bottom of the hot top disengages said roller table, abutment means below said rails for engaging the hot top as said trunnions move forward and downward on said rails, whereby the hot top is tilted and inverted, a conveyor onto which the lower ends of the inverted hot tops are deposited by said rails and along which they may be moved and a veneering station at the forward end of said conveyor onto which the foremost hot top may be moved, said veneering station comprising a container for moldable refractory material in a moist plastic state for application to the interior surfaces of the hot top.

7. In apparatus for conditioning hot tops, a roller conveyor, a veneering station comprising a rocker frame, a roller table rotatably mounted upon said frame about a given center, said roller table when horizontal being at the same elevation approximately as said roller conveyor and disposed to receive a hot top from said conveyor, means for holding a hot top upon said table with its center of gravity substantially above the center of rotation of the table when the latter is horizontally supported by said frame, and means for tilting said rocker frame to an inclined position, whereby the center of gravity of the combined table and hot top is offset from the center of rotation of the table and tends to hold the inclined table and hot top in a given angular position.

8. In apparatus for conditioning hot tops, a roller conveyor, a veneering station comprising a rocker frame, a roller table rotatably mounted upon said frame to turn about a given center, said roller table when horizontal being at the same elevation approximately as said roller conveyor and disposed to receive a hot top from said conveyor, means on said table for releasably grasping the trunnions of a hot top to hold the latter with its center of gravity substantially above the center of rotation of the table when the latter is horizontally supported by said frame, and means for tilting said rocker frame to an inclined position, whereby the center of gravity of 'the combined table and hot top is offset from the center of rotation of the table and tends to hold the inclined table and hot top in a given position of rotational adjustment. 1

9. In apparatus for conditioning hot tops, a roller conveyor, a veneering station comprising a rocker frame constituting a portion of the conveyor, means for tilting said rocker frame forwardly and downwardly, a table rotatably mounted on said roeker frame to turn about a given center on the frame, rollers on said table adapted to support a hot top in inverted position, said roller table when horizontal being at the same elevation approximately as said roller conveyor and disposed to receive a hot top from said conveyor, side walls on said table having projections against which the hot top trunnions may bear, releasable latches for holding said trunnions against said projections, and means for holding said table in any one of a plurality of separate angular positions.

10. In apparatus for conditioning hot tops having metal casmgs and side trunnions, a receiving station comprising a roller table adapted to receive the hot top right side up, a pair of spaced inclined rails extending forward from said table in a direction at right angles to the axes of the rollers on said table, the upper ends of said rails being disposed adjacent said roller table at a height to receive and support said trunnions as the bottom of the hot top disengages said roller table, abutment means below said rails for engaging the hot top as said trunnions move forward and downward on said rails, whereby the hot top is tilted and inverted, and a roller conveyor onto which the lower ends of the inverted hot tops are deposited by said rails and along which they may be moved, a veneering station at the forward end of said conveyor comprising a rotatable roller table onto which the foremost hot top may be moved, a transversely slidable platform upon which said roller table is supported, a second roller conveyor disposed at right angles to said first named roller conveyor with its center line intersecting the axis of said rotatable roller table but normally spaced somewhat from said table, and means for shifting said platform transversely to decrease the space between the rollers of said rotatable table and the rollers of said second conveyor.

11. In combination, an inclined roller conveyor for supporting inverted hot tops, two stops at the forward end of said conveyor adapted to engage consecutive hot tops, operating means adapted to raise one stop and depress the other and vice versa, a turntable ad acent the forward end of the conveyor having rollers disposed at the same level as the rollers of said conveyor, means for roating said turntable and holding it in any one of several angular positions, and manual means at the side of said turntable remote from said conveyor foractuating said stop operating means, whereby the foremost hot top may be released to travel onto said table while the next succeeding hot top is held against movement until the stops are returned to their normal position, and whereby all of the sides of a hot top supported on the table may be caused to face the operator one after another.

12. In apparatus for conditioning hot tops, a roller conveyor, a veneering station comprising a rotatable roller table for supporting a hot top, said roller table when horizontal being at the same elevation approximately as said roller conveyor and disposed to receive a hot top from said conveyor, a rocker frame upon which said table is mounted and by which it may be tilted to an inclined position to facilitate work upon the hot top by an operator standing in front of the table, a container for moist moldable veneering material carried at an elevation above the supported hot top and having an open end disposed toward the operator, whereby the operator may insert his trowel into the veneering material in said container and apply the material Farried by the trowel to an interior surface of the hot 13. In apparatus for conditioning hot tops having metal casings and side trunnions, a receiving station comprising a spring supported roller table, said station having inwardly and downwardly inclined side walls for directing onto said table a hot top being lowered by a crane, a pair of inclined rails extending forward from said table spaced apart to receive and support the trunnions as the hot top is moved forward on said table rollers, a spring supported transverse bar below said tracks for engaging said hot top as said trunnions .move forward and downward on said rails. a roller unit disposed beneath the lower portion of said tracks for receiving and supporting the lower end of the hot top when inverted by the combined action of said transverse bar and gravity, and means on said roller unit for checking the travel of the hot top.

14. In equipment of the character described, a roller conveyor over which the hot to s may be caused to move, means for advancing the hot tops step by step over said conveyor, heaters carried by said conveyor at mteryals along its length, and releasable means for holding the l 1ot tops against movement on the conveyor n positions centered over the heaters, each heater comprising enclosing walls extending upwardly to a level ust beneath the tops of the conveyor rollers.

15. In equipment of the character described, a conveyor for inverted hot tops comprising spaced parallel frame members, stub rollers extending inwardly from each of said frame members adapted to support said hot tops, heater ovens carried at intervals by said conveyor between opposite stub rollers, and releasable means for holding the hot tops against movement on the conveyor in positions centered over the heater ovens, each heater comprising enclosing walls extending upwzhrdly to a level just beneath the tops of the conveyor ro ers.

16. In equipment for handling composite hot tops having side trunnions of circular cross-section, an mclined roller conveyor over which inverted hot tops are adapted to move by gravity, heaters carried by said conveyor at intervals along its length, releasable means for holding the hot tops against movement on the conveyor, each heater comprising enclosing walls extending upwardly to a level just beneath the tops of the conveyor rollers, and an inverting unit at the delivery end of said conveyor comprising a pair of rails inclined downwardly toward the delivery end of the non, the upper ends of said rails being disposed at a level slightly beneath that of the trunnions of a hot top while supported upon the conveyor and the lower ends of said rails having transversely aligned bumpers adapted to engage the trunnions of a hot top, whereby the trunnions of a moving hot top when it drops off the last roller of the conveyor tend to roll upon the rails for turning the hot top into right side up position by the time said trunnions strike said bumpers.

17. In apparatus for conditioning hot tops having metal casings and side trunnions, a receiving station comprising a roller table adapted to receive the hot top right side up, a pair of spaced inclined rails extending forward from said table in a direction at right angles to the axes of the rollers on said table, the upper ends of said rails being disposed adjacent said roller table at a height to receive and support said trunnions as the bottom of the hot top disengages said roller table, abutment means below said rails for engaging the hot top as said trunnions move forward and downward on said rails, whereby the hot top is tilted and inverted, a conveyor onto which the lower ends of the inverted hot tops are deposited by said rails and along which they may be moved and a veneering station at the forward end of said conveyor onto which the foremost hot top may be moved, said veneering station comprising a container for moldable refractory ma.- terial in a moist plastic state for application to the interior surfaces of the hot top and comprising a turntable, and means for releasably holding said turntable in any one of a plurality of evenly spaced angular po-- sitions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

